The invention relates to television entertainment delivery systems that provide television programming to consumer homes. More particularly, the invention relates to an Operations Center that organizes and packages cable television programming for delivery to consumer homes.
Advances in television entertainment have been primarily driven by breakthroughs in technology. In 1939, advances on Vladmir Zworykin""s picture tube provided the stimulus for NBC to begin its first regular broadcasts. In 1975, advances in satellite technology provided consumers with increased programming to homes.
Many of these technology breakthroughs have produced inconvenient systems for consumers. One example is the ubiquitous three remote control home, having a separate and unique remote control for the TV, cable box and VCR. More recently, technology has provided cable users with 100 channels of programming. This increased program capacity is beyond the ability of many consumers to use effectively. No method of managing the program choices has been provided to consumers.
Consumers are demanding that future advances in television entertainment, particularly programs and program choices, be presented to the consumer in a user friendly manner. Consumer preferences, instead of technological breakthroughs, will drive the television entertainment market for at least the next 20 years. As computer vendors have experienced a switch from marketing new technology in computer hardware to marketing better useability, interfaces and service, the television entertainment industry will also experience a switch from new technology driving the market to consumer useability driving the market.
In order for new television entertainment products to be successful, the products must satisfy consumer demands. TV consumers wish to go from limited viewing choices to a variety of choices, from no control of programming to complete control. Consumers do not wish to pay for one hundred channels when due to lack of programming information, they seldom, if ever, watch programming on many of these channels.
The concepts of interactive television, high definition television and 300-500 channel cable systems in consumer homes will not sell if they are not packaged, delivered and presented in a useable fashion to consumers. The problem is that TV programming is not being managed, packaged, delivered, and presented to consumers in a user friendly manner.
Consumers are already being bombarded with programming options, numerous xe2x80x9cfreexe2x80x9d cable channels, subscription cable channels and pay-per-view choices. Any further increase in TV entertainment choices will likely bewilder viewers with a mind-numbing array of choices.
The TV industry has traditionally marketed and sold its programs to consumers in bulk, such as continuous feed broadcast and long-term subscriptions to movie channels. The TV industry is unable to sell its programming in large quantities on a per unit basis, such as the ordering of one program.
In today""s television world networks manage the program lineup for individual channels. Each network analyzes ratings for television shows and determines the appropriate schedule or program lineup to gain market share and revenue from advertising. Since each channel is in competition with every other channel, there is no coordinated effort to organize television programming in a manner that primarily suits the viewers.
Additionally, viewership fragmentation, which has already begun to decrease a channel""s or program""s market share, will increase. Programming not presented in a user friendly manner will suffer with a decrease in viewership and revenue.
And finally, with the imminent introduction of digital television technology, current television delivery systems do not have the capabilities or features necessary to operate in the digital environment.
What is needed is a method of organizing programming to be offered to viewers.
What is needed is a television program delivery system that can be operated in a distributive fashion and controlled from one or more national centers.
What is needed is an Operations Center for a system which can gather television programming in a variety of formats, package the programs, deliver the programs, and present the programs through a user friendly interface which allows the consumer to easily select from among the many program choices.
What is needed is an Operations Center that is capable of handling hundreds of programs in different formats.
What is needed is an Operations Center that is expandable for future types of programming.
What is needed is needed is an Operations Center that can control certain features and software of a television delivery system.
What is needed is an Operations Center that operates in the digital audio/video environment.
What is needed is an Operations Center that formulates program menus for viewer use.
What is needed is a computer assisted program packaging system.
What is needed is an Operations Center that includes a method for billing consumers.
What is needed is an Operations Center that analyzes data on programs watched by viewers.
The present invention is addressed to fulfillment of these needs.
This invention is a center for controlling the operations of a digital television program delivery system. Specifically, the present invention is an Operations Center that allows for the organizing and packaging of television programs for transmission in a television delivery system.
The Operations Center is the nerve center of the television program delivery system. It receives data on viewership behavior and utilizes the data to assist in packaging programs for future viewing. The Operations Center is a particularly useful invention for television delivery systems which will provide users with the ability to select programs from on-screen menus.
The Operations Center""s primary component is a computer assisted packaging system (CAP), which makes use of the necessary hardware and software to control and transmit programming signals over a television delivery system. This computer assisted packaging system creates the program lineup or packaging of programs and the packaging of menu and control information for later transmission and use in the cable television systems. The CAP can be specially designed to generate graphical menu displays for user selection of programs. The hardware and software for controlling and transmitting programming signals over the television delivery system is particularly useful in large television delivery systems which include satellite transmissions to cable headends.
The software of the CAP performs the functions of gathering analog (and/or digital) program signals from a variety of sources such as broadcast television, premium channels, and video disk. The software also packages the programs efficiently for the available bandwidth and for subscriber viewing through computer assisted creation of program line-up and allocating of bandwidth. The line-ups are created to effectively group programming for display in menus by categories. The television programs are packaged with the program control information (such as cost for viewing certain program) and menu information.
The Operations Center of the present invention provides a method for remote management and control of local cable and CATV programs available and on-screen menu displays shown to subscribers. The Operations Center""s computer software programs and hardware provide xe2x80x9creal-timexe2x80x9d control over cable and CATV systems. By transmitting appropriate control information the Operations Center has the ability to change allocation of programs across physical channels, update menu information (from the Operations Center location), reprogram menu formats and menu flow, and change or augment a packaged program signal sent to a particular region of the country. The Operations Center is able to control remotely certain features and software of the set top terminals and if necessary reprogram menu display software stored at the set top terminals.
In order to properly manage program lineups, the Operations Center acquires viewer information on programs watched. Such viewer information includes information about the buy rates of specific shows, viewer preferences for programming, and the like, gathered by recording viewer transactions. A compilation of viewer information data is needed in order to make decisions on future individualized program lineup and program packaging. In addition, allocation of menu space and construction of menus is aided by the use of viewer information data. This information is received from the set top terminals using a feedback loop, usually through the cable headends.
The present invention is not only able to operate in the digital environment but introduces many new features to television program delivery.
It is an object of this invention to provide a system for efficiently organizing television programs to be offered to viewers.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center for a television program delivery system.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center for a television program delivery system which can gather television programming in a variety of formats, package the programs, and deliver the packaged programs.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center for a program delivery system which presents programming viewing options to the consumer through a user friendly interface which allows the consumer to easily select from among the many program choices.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center that is capable of handling video/audio programming in different formats.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center capable of offering interactive television, high definition television (HDTV) and/or other advanced television features.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center that can control software and program features at the cable headend.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center that can control and if necessary reprogram set top terminals.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center for a digital program delivery system.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center that designs program menus.
It is an object of this invention to provide an Operations Center that uses data on programs viewed to create or aid in the selection of program line-ups.
It is an object of this invention to provide a computer assisted program packaging system for a television program delivery system.
These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon review of the following description, the attached drawings and appended claims.